July 2005

The Graphic Communications Contest, one of eighty-four skills and leadership contests at the 40th Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Championships, took place on Thursday, June 23, 2005, at Bartle Hall in Kansas City, Missouri. The all day event brought in forty-eight state champions representing high school and college/postsecondary programs across the United States.

The overall contest included seven separate and distinct segments: digital workflow, electronic prepress, finishing, offset press operations, oral professional assessment, production planning, and technical knowledge test. The contest ran from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Contestants were required to work with equipment from Xante Corporation, Apple Computers, Baumfolder Corporation, and HeidelbergUSA. This hands-on contest required students to prepare a file using page layout software, send files to proofer and platemaker, operate and make adjustments on a press, operate and make adjustments on a folder, participate in an interview, solve production planning problems, and take a written test.

The 2005 medalists in the Graphic Communications Contest for high school include:

• Gold: Jeff S. McFarland, South Grand Prairie High School, Grand Prairie, Texas
• Silver: Stephen Buerger, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Bronze: Mitch Miller, Slinger High School, Slinger, Wisconsin

The 2005 medalists in the Graphic Communications Contest for college/postsecondary include:

• Gold: Rebecca Long, Asheville High School, Asheville, North Carolina
• Silver: Erica Bisig, Nichols Career Center, Jefferson City, Missouri
• Bronze: P. Lance McDaniel, Vincennes University, Vincennes, Indiana

The contest was put together by the National Technical Committee for the Graphic Communications Contest. The committee consists of representatives from the graphic communications industry including businesses, suppliers, manufacturers, and educators.

June 18-24, 2006, is the next scheduled SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. The Graphic Communications Contest is scheduled for Thursday, June 23, 2006 in Kansas City, Missouri.

For more information contact Dr. Jesus J. Rodriguez, Chairman of the National Technical Committee at jrodrigu@pittstate.edu. For information about SkillsUSA see www.skillsusa.org.